Method of manufacturing shoe outsoles from waste plant fibers

Abstract

A method of manufacturing shoe outsoles from waste plant fibers includes steps of: bleaching plant fiber powders; activating the plant fiber powders through a graft reaction process; mixing the plant fiber powders and recycle rubber powders to enhance physical properties of the plant fiber powders; adding a homogenizing agent to fully blend the hydrophilic plant fiber powders and the lipophilic recycle rubber powders to form a recycled material; mixing the recycled material and thermoplastic rubber into a mixture; aging the mixture for an aging time; granulating the mixture; and producing a shoe outsole through an injection molding process. Thus a novel approach is provided to produce shoe products. Waste plants or rubber can be recycled to improve environmental conservation and protection.

1. A method of manufacturing shoe outsoles from waste plant fibers, comprising the steps of:
 crushing plant wastes and drying the crushed plant wastes to become plant fiber powders, and bleaching the plant fiber powders and proceeding a graft reaction process to activate the surfaces of the plant fiber powders; 
 mixing the plant fiber powders and recycle rubber powders to enhance physical properties of the plant fiber powders, and adding a homogenizing agent to fully blend the hydrophilic plant fiber powders and the lipophilic recycle rubber powders to form a recycled material; and 
 mixing the recycled material and a thermoplastic rubber into a mixture and aging the mixture for an aging time and granulating the mixture, and forming a waste plant fiber shoe outsole through an injection molding process. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recycle rubber powders are formed by slicing, delaminating, adsorbing, crushing and drying waste rubber. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the crushing of the waste rubber is performed through a grinding mill. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein crushing plant wastes is performed through a grinding mill. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shoe outsole is formed in a mold. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recycled material and the thermo-plastic rubber are mixed through a twin-screw mixing machine.